Three Little Words
by ChristyCat
Summary: They aren't the Three Little Words you're thinking of by any stretch.....Lois has amazing news for Kal El but a revelation sends both of their worlds spinning into chaos...


**[B]Title: [/B]** Three Little Words_  
_**[B]****Author:**** [/B]** brdwaybebe  
**[B]****Category:**** [/B]** Reeveverse AU  
**[B]****Prompt:**** [/B]** #05 / "Her Diamonds" by Rob Thomas  
**[B]****Rating:**** [/B]** PG  
**[B]****Word Count:**** [/B]** 1,746 words.  
**[B]****Summary:**** [/B]** They aren't the Three Little Words you're thinking of by any stretch.....Lois has amazing news for Kal El but a revelation sends both of their worlds spinning into chaos...  
**[B]****Spoilers:**** [/B]** Light touch of STM and SR - but seriously you've seen them - why else would you be here?

**Author's Notes:**

I did not torture my wonderful beta with this bit, seeing as I very nearly had to torture my muse into giving me ANYthing. I blame Rob Thomas. Okay I blame being in a good mood when the muse wants angst. I typically don't write a lot of AU but this one just kinda formed on its own. It's a bit of an angstfest - I don't know what's up with me and angst lately. Definitely need to work on a comedy for next time. Anyway. Enjoy!

Three Little Words….

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Lois stood at the edge of her balcony, her eyes searching the sky for the man she loved. Her hair was upswept, her dress a familiar blue, all designed to remind him of a cherished moment in their shared past.

Joy bubbled up in her heart as she heard the snapping of a windblown cape. Her head swiveled in its direction just in time to see Kal El land silently on the rooftop.

Her smile died on her lips at the somber expression that stretched across his features.

Reflexively she stepped forward, placing a cautious hand on his forearm.

"What is it?" she asked gently, her eyes searching his.

Their deep blue swirled with a host of indefinable emotions. His mouth opened slightly and then closed again as if he struggled to find the words.

Another step forward and her hand was on his chest. "Kal El, you're scaring me..."

"They found Krypton." the words tumbled from his lips like a rush of water. The entire world seemed to screech to a halt and hold its breath at this revelation

Three words foreboding and dangerous with their potential. Three words wrapped up in hope and despair all at the same time.

"They said it's orbiting some unnamed moon in a galaxy they've never heard of, but it's closer than it's ever been... temporarily. Until the orbit continues... and it disappears again..."

His expression was tormented and despite the certainty of his statements, his eyes posed a question she didn't think she had the strength to answer.

He stood before her still as a marble statue, his eyes downcast. But his heartbeat was leaping riotously beneath her fingertips expressing some indescribable emotion.

If his home planet had been found, it held with it the hope that Kal El was not the last son of Krypton after all. He'd lived on this planet all his life believing he was alone, the last of his kind. No matter how much she loved him, there was no changing that fact. And now... with this news... If there was even a possibility of life...of survivors...

The thought that somehow, someway his planet had survived was a miracle that he'd dared never ask for. But this miracle came with a price tag.

"What...are you going to do?" her curious nature served her well, giving her time to regain her emotional footing.

His eyes flickered with an emotion she'd never seen in them before; fear.

Kal El slid his fingertips over her cheek until they disappeared in the ebony fall of her hair. They traveled unhindered through the silky locks, and he watched their journey as if transfixed...as if he was memorizing their texture. His hand emerged from the tips of her hair and came to rest on her shoulder. Kal El hesitated a moment before lifting his gaze back to hers.

He wasn't telling her what he planned. He was [I]_asking._ [/I] Her heart throbbed within her chest. It was an impossible question.

Either choice led to heart break. To let him go would be unthinkable. Imagining a world without him in it, even temporarily, was terrifying. But what if he never came back? To ask him to stay and never know the fate of his people, was too cruel to comprehend. She had no right to hold him here and live his life always wondering, tormented by what might have been. But what if he was heading on a futile errand, going all that way, being gone all that time and still found nothing?

Tears burned behind her eyes. Only moments ago she'd been so happy. The future had looked so bright. The weight of uncertainty bowed her head. Time had become her enemy and just when there was so much she needed to say...

Lois wrapped her arms around her midsection.

She closed her eyes, not trusting them to keep her secrets. Instead she spoke, her voice hoarse from the knot growing in her throat, "How far away is it? How long..."

"By my calculations it's a two and a half year trip." he said softly, the words hurling themselves at her fearful ears.

Lois brightened momentarily. "Oh. Well that's not so-" she began.

"Each way." he whispered, his voice husky with tears of his own.

Lois inhaled a shaky breath. "Five years..." she exhaled weakly, tears spilling onto her cheeks. Her knees gave way causing her to sink into the patio chair behind her.

Kal El sank with her, kneeling in front of her. He collected her hands in his. His eyes searched hers frantically looking for an answer. "I love you." He kissed her knuckles, holding them tightly against his lips. "Tell me what to do. I won't make this decision without you."

Lois eased her hands from his, pressing her palms flat against her belly. Her hands slid around her side, hugging herself reflexively trying to protect herself from event over which she really had no control. Two impossible events had entered the realm of the possible today.

Both teetered precariously on a fragile bubble of hope. Neither was certain. The tests Dr. Hamilton had run were preliminary, sketchy at best, just some abnormal hormone levels at this point.

She raised her head to look squarely into his eyes. He would stay for an anomaly. And she couldn't let him miss his chance.

"Go." she said with more courage than she felt. "[I]_Go._ [/I] Kal El. Before the opportunity is gone..."

"But...Lois, what about..." his face was a juxtaposing duel of torment and joy.

She rose to her full height, a petite stature though it was. "Me? The world?" Lois pasted on a watery smile and batted the tears from her face. "We'll manage." she said with conviction, laying her hand against his cheek. "You've given the world so much, Kal El. How dare we even think of keeping this from you."

Kal El stood to his feet, towering over this fragile human who was so much stronger than he. "Lois..."

She took his hands in hers, and it was her turn to press a kiss against his knuckles. "I'll be here waiting for you when you come back."

He stood there, in awestruck silence, a soul-deep sigh rushing from his lungs. Kal El closed his eyes a moment and nodded slowly. "Alright..." he rasped.

"Alright." she echoed.

He pulled her to him, his lips descending on hers. Their lips intertwined in a farewell dance that was both beautiful and heart breaking. His hands curled into fists at her back, gathering the cloth of her robe into his palms. He held her against him with all the force of his love, hoping to leave her with the knowledge that no matter where he was in the universe, she was in his heart.

Finally he released her from his embrace, and held her face between his hands. "I love you, Lois..." his lips brushed irresistibly once again against hers. "I don't know what..."

"Shh...." Lois lifted herself onto her toes and pressed her lips against his, her hands shook as she buried her fingers in the midnight of his hair... "Don't say anything." Her lips slid against his as she spoke. "Just... go ....and come back to me as quickly as you can."

He folded her into his arms for one last embrace. "I love you... I love you..." he murmured against her hair.

Kal El pulled back and gazed down into Lois's face, memorizing every detail, every curve and plane, his mind cataloged the color of her eyes, and the blush of her cheek. This moment built up an intensity so great, Lois felt the heat of his vision gliding over her skin.

Her eyes too scanned over his every feature tucking them away for a more difficult night when nobility would rang as brass and she fight not to curse herself [I]and[/I] him for their decision.

Their eyes met one final time and Lois nodded reassuringly. Her eyes fell closed. The image of him standing before her, his face soft with love was etched into her minds eye.

"I love you too..." she whispered.

She felt the warmth of his closeness leave before the sound of his cape taking wing reached her ears. When she opened her eyes, he was gone, the rooftop empty as if he'd never been.

Slowly, gingerly Lois made her way across the patio. With effort she slid the glass door open and stepped through it before hauling it closed once again.

She stepped out of her shoes and pressed her fingertips against the door to the bathroom. One twist...two...and the sound of rushing water replaced the silence.

Lois closed the bathroom door and shrugged out of her robe as the shower began to fill the room with steam.

Her fingers trailed along the surface of the sink, brushing against the small plastic indicator that had been laid there so reverently. She curled her hand around the smooth plastic, the positive symbol disappearing beneath her palm.

Lois stepped into the shower, clutching it to her chest, letting the heat of the water fall onto her head until it streamed down her face to join the tears that had begun once again to fall.

All at once Lois's breath rushed in, a sob straining the delicate muscles of her throat.

There was a soft thud as she leaned against the tile of the wall. The strength left her legs and she slid down the smooth surface to the stable support of the porcelain tub. She gathered her legs toward herself and wrapped her arms around her knees. She folded her arms onto her bent knees and sobbed into the hollow they created.

In the growing blackness of the blooming night, a solitary and silent figure floated just a few yards away. Eyes that saw through walls struggled to see past a veil of tears that welled unceasingly in his eyes. But in his all-hearing ears, echoed the broken sobs of the woman who shared his soul.

Two hearts were broken that night, shattering into a thousand pieces in the hope that one day they would be made whole again and fused together as one.

Some time later the sounds of water faded into the sliding of cotton sheets being pulled up over an exhausted body. When her sobs had faded into shuddering uneven breaths that heralded her sleep, he took to the sky, heading at full speed toward an unknown and yet somehow hopeful future.


End file.
